1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to composite materials in which numerous fibers are embedded in a matrix material such as a polymer and, in particular, to a system and method for fabrication of fibers using bundles of carbon nanotubes formed into circuitous links interconnected sequentially in a chain.
2. Background
Carbon nanotubes are carbon fibers with a cylindrical nanostructure. Carbon nanotubes may be smaller in diameter than conventional carbon fibers. Carbon nanotubes are known to be strong and have high modulus relative to many other materials, particularly other kinds of carbon fibers. Conventional carbon fibers used in composite materials may be about ten microns in diameter and many meters in length. Carbon nanotubes may be one to ten nanometers in diameter (up to 10,000 times narrower than conventional carbon fibers) with a length of about one centimeter. However, the tensile strength of an individual carbon nanotube is greater than the tensile strength of an individual conventional carbon fiber.
Fibers similar to those used in commercial composites have not been produced from a plurality of carbon nanotubes. Thus, capturing the strength of individual carbon nanotubes in structures longer than individually grown carbon nanotubes has presented a continuing challenge.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above as well as possibly other issues.